IGN's Most Wanted Comics of 2011

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From Fear Itself to Habibi, these books top our most wanted list.

By Jesse Schedeen

Saying 2011 is going to be a big year for the comic book industry is an obvious statement. Every year for the past decade has played host to major new projects and announcements. But even so, 2011 looks to be a truly memorable year for comic fans. From the return of big events at Marvel to the release of several long-awaited graphic novels, 2011 has plenty to look forward to.

In this feature, we break down the new books that look the most promising in these early days of 2011. From Fear Itself to Flashpoint to Habibi, 2011 really is going to be a year to remember.

One of the first big industry announcements of the year came from Vertigo. Scott Snyder's American Vampire is growing bigger this spring. Beginning with issue #13, the series begins a major new story arc set during World War II. Alongside this arc from Snyder and artist Rafael Albuquerque, Vertigo will also publish a companion mini-series. This spinoff will team Snyder with Joe the Barbarian artist Sean Murphy.

American Vampire was easily one of our favorite new books from 2010. It's still a title everyone on the Review Crew looks forward to each month. The fact that we're about to get a double-dose of American Vampire this spring is just icing on the cake.

The AnnihilatorsPublisher: Marvel Release Date: March 2011

Even in the weeks after The Thanos Imperative ended, Marvel remained surprisingly quiet on the future of its cosmic line. Luckily, we now know what the publisher has planned for 2011, and it looks promising. Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning are debuting a new ongoing series called The Annihilators featuring the team of heavy-hitters introduced during the course of The Thanos Imperative. Save for the now deceased Nova, the lineup remains the same. With the likes of Gladiator, Silver Surfer, and Beta Ray Bill on one team, who can possibly stand in their way? Scratch that – we expect Abnett and Lanning have some fitting universal threats in mind. Those interested in the lighter side of DnA's sci-fi storytelling can also look forward to the Rocket Raccoon and Groot backup feature. In short, this ensemble series should have something for cosmic fans of all types.

Batman: Earth OnePublisher: DC Release Date: Summer/Fall 2011

J. Michael Straczynski and Shane Davis' Superman: Earth One graphic novel was among the biggest releases of 2010. It proved so successful for DC that the publisher elected to take Straczynski off his other projects in order to fast-track a sequel. That sequel may very well see the light of day this year, but we're more interested in the other Earth One franchise.

Geoff Johns and Gary Frank have been hard at work on Batman: Earth One. As with Straczynski's Superman, this take on Batman features a streamlined universe, new origin story, and a more flawed and less capable hero. Batman is perhaps the one DC icon Johns has never closely tackled in the past, so it should be interesting to see what he can accomplish over the course of 128 pages. The preview art suggests that Frank is certainly well-suited to the seedy streets of Gotham City. Given Batman's enduring popularity with casual and hardcore readers alike, there's no reason to assume this project won't be at least as successful as Superman: Earth One was.

Fear ItselfPublisher: Marvel Release Date: April 2011

Just before the new year, Marvel blew the lid off its top secret event storyline for 2011. Officially or unofficially, Fear Itself marks the end of the Heroic Age and Marvel's reduced focus on events. Like Civil War, this is a storyline that unites all of Marvel's many heroes and villains in one giant conflict. It also sees writer Matt Fraction and artist Stuart Immonen tackle one of the biggest projects of their careers.

Fraction explained that Fear Itself began life as a crossover between Thor and Captain America, and that much is evident in the premise. The mini-series sees the new Red Skull free the Norse god of fear from his eternal prison. This previously unheard of god resumes his campaign for Odin's throne, and he has the collective fears of an entire planet to draw upon.

Just as Civil War tapped into the shaky post-9/11 politics of America, Fear Itself is inspired by the very real climate of uncertainty and worry plaguing the globe these days. Fear Itself faces a very high bar if Marvel hopes it to outsell Civil War, but so far this event seems to have all the pieces in place.

FlashpointPublisher: DC Release Date: Unknown 2011

Geoff Johns has a tendency to tease major storylines well in advance. Just as The Sinestro Corps War introduced Blackest Night 18 months before it began, Johns teased the existence of a major event called Flashpoint in the first issue of his current Flash series. Flashpoint is a five-issue mini-series written by Johns and illustrated by Andy Kubert.

Sadly, we don't know much more than that, but the creative team alone is plenty of cause for excitement. Johns has repeatedly voiced his desire to elevate the Flash family in the same way he has for the Green Lanterns, and Flashhpoint looks to be a major part of that plan.

HabibiPublisher: Pantheon Release Date: September 2011

Craig Thompson is one of the absolute finest artists working in the industry today, a fact made clear with the release of Blankets in 2003. Unfortunately, Blankets was the last major work Thompson has released. His follow-up, Habibi, has been in production for years. In looks as if 2011 will be the year Habibi finally reaches store shelves.

Whereas Blankets was a largely autobiographical tale, Habibi is more a modern day fable centered around a love story between a eunuch and a prostitute. Habibi is set in the Middle East and is intended to "humanize Islamic culture".

Thanks to the nearly 650-page length, Thompson's attention to detail, and his ongoing bouts with arthritis, Habibi has taken many years for the author to complete. But work is nearly finished, and Pantheon is scheduled to publish the graphic novel this September.